Turkish jets hit Kandil using F-16 and F-4

[tigershark]

Turkish jets, consisting of mainly F-16's and including F-4's fired onto PKK camps in Northern Iraq last night.

Sixty days after the motion authorizing the Turkish government to conduct a cross border operation, the Turkish Armed Forces organized a wide scope air operation against the PKK. The day before yesterday at midnight, 50 planes most of which were F-16's took part in the operation.   
   Can't Turkey just deploy 10,000/15,000 troops across this section of the border and just close it?  I would think using fast movers to target small groups would be difficult feat unless targets were being marked some how or direct air strikes called in.  I don't know a lot about the PKK but are they in formations larger enough to called air strikes with 50 jets?   I thought there in small hit and run bands not battalion size forces?   If somebody know what tactics are being used to make use of such air power or can explain the situation better it would be helpful.   I would think dropping Special Forces behind the lines would do better?   Are there Kurds living in Turkey?   Is this pure mountain fight?   Would Turkish forces go after Kurds living in Iran?  Have Turkish forces ever fire on or attack Kurds in Iran or on the shared border between Iran and Iraq?   Are there PPK Kurds in Iran too?   
      PKK targets in the Kandil Mountains and the regions of Zap, AvaÅŸin and Hakurk in Northern Iraq were all destroyed by F-16 and F-4 war planes in a three-hour-long air operation.   The Turkish Armed Forces held the biggest operation on Northern Iraq the night before last, since the motion for a cross border operation passed. Fifty war planes, most of which were F-16 and F-4 planes, destroyed PKK targets in the Kandil Mountains and the regions of Zap, AvaÅŸin and Hakurk in Northern Iraq. The air operation started at 1:00 am and ended at 4:15 am. After the air operations, armed forces entered the border region between Åžemdinli and Çukurca and hit the targets by land. Cobra and Super Cobra helicopters conducted air surveillance on the border.

Link
http://english.sabah.com.tr/C1CE497565AD42DEA9841AE365D44981.html

[Webmaster]

700 troops crossed the border, they were withdrawn today under US pressure, but I think also according to operational plan. The US doesn't want things to flare up in North Iraq, one of the more peaceful areas. But Turkey wants US cooperation to deal with the PKK.

Turkey already deploys 100,000 troops and heavy equipment along the border. But now of course the PKK actions turn against those troops.

PKK strength in the area has been reported to be in the thousands, which is more than just one or two camps, so I can see that over 50 aircraft were deployed.

About 20% of Turkish polution is estimated to the Kurdish. Syria 10%. Iran has 7% Kurds and doesn't want a Kurdistan either, so if any PKK would operate from Iran, you'll probably have cooperation, they signed agreements on this long time ago. But with Iraq close to total chaos, why fight from Iran.  And northern Iraq has oil fields, so PKK presence there is more important. However it is a serious concern for Turkey if/when the US decides to invade Iran as well.

The operations are aimed against the PKK, not the Kurdish. But with 50 aircraft deployed against targets, I wouldn't be surpised if the peaceful Kurdish population did suffer. PKK rebels, freedom fighters, whatever, they are acting like terrorists, and have been for 20 years.

Israel got away with invading and bombing the hell out of Lebanon in retailiation for attacks on its soldiers, so who can tell Turkey to stop? Not the US...

[Raptor]

Press Question: How will all this affect us who are far away. 

[Webmaster]

Oil prices for one.

Plus Turkey not entering EU any time soon, depending on how it will unfold. I reckon the US has to some extent and will further defuse the situation.

[Raptor]

True. What about politically? And what is the current military stance of the other countries?

[tigershark]

For the US Armed forces it's a difficult situation.   In the Kurdish held area in Iraq are among the safest for  American troops fighting and operating in the area.   They do a good job at keeping the bad guys out of there own ranks and areas something that most of Iraq doesn't poorly.   On the flip side Turkey is a long time allied and a allied that was threaten by Russian many times with nukes too for allowing the US to launch spy aircraft, just spy, maintain bases, support of operations, etc, and they stood by our side.  I'm probably wrong because my knowledge region isn't strong in this area but I kind of think the Kurds should have been giving the own land.  I think the English and maybe France did a bad job of splitting this area up.   Some of this was done before WW-1 and after as well and the Turks were on the German side in the first World War I,.   Turkey claims they are terrorist in every sense and want to go after them the same way the United States is going after terrorist.   To be honest I only started following this when a Turkish army truck was ambush.  Later it was release that the Turkish army truck and troops were returning from a raid against a village where I think the PPK or PKK, somebody correct me.   So to me walking in on this late it looks like they targeted the army troops that attacked there village.   They went after a military target and not just blowing blowing up women and children at a market.   I can assume they have done worse things then this maybe somebody from the region or stronger in current affairs then I am can explain better. 
It doesn't seem like your normal terrorist situation it more like one group of people just dislike another and tried to wipe them out or push them out.  I guess that this type of fighting in this region has been going on for years and who ever holds the most power wins.  Turkey seems to hold that power but can remember during the Iraq-Iran war both sides were supporting each others Kurds with weapons etc.    Sadly it seems they the Kurds have been used by different governments and left when finished with them.  I'm sure there are three sides to this and hope I didn't offend anybody.